Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-01-29
RIVER FRONT IMPROvEMENr.
Need Of q Generous Appropriation fos
ImHAeSliate Use.

fvCCO - u eSemerOUe AYptVRft8SeV0 hO1
Immediate Use.
COL HAMS vIKws-rHI WORK s AT IT'S MOST cRrrI-
CAL STAGE AND NEEDS PRorEcTIoS--DANGER TO
WASHINGTON HARBoR-AT LKAsr $500, 900 NEEDED.
as the contemplated appropriation OF 100000
for continuing the Potomac river improvements
suf1cfent for your needs at present." asked STAB
reporter OF Col Hams
at is not nearly enough" was the reply. 81 re-
commended 500 900 In my annual report as the
amount that could be probably expended" ne
continued, "but there ought to be all OF 100000
appropriated at once for the protection OF the
work already accomplished.
There seems TO be an impression prevailing that
funds amounting to about 5000, 900 are at present
available for continuing the work, and that with
paltry sum In addition there will be an ample
supply for prosecuting il rapidly as there is any
need OF doing. Now, that's all a mistake. Nearly
one-thiru OF the amount Is due contractors for
work already performed and final payment only
awaits final measurement The greater part OF the
other two-thirds is tied up in existing contracts
and set aside for contracts soon 10 be entered into
so That by the end OF the present fiscal year there
wont De LETT on hand over fifteen or twenty thou
Sanu ooilarS. The fact must not be lost sight OF
that the appropriation made now must last until q
year from next July or August, for next session Is
the long session, and the river and harbor bill is
generally one OF the last TO receive the final action
OF Congress One hundred and twenty thousand
collars for according 10 the present program, that
IS all that there will be to expend even with what
is left after this years contracts are completed,
VIII not begin to put the work In safe condition.
1t Is now In its
MOST CRITICAL STAGE,
when all the money that can possibly be spared
should be expended on the project at once. Now
there Is need Of haste. After one generous appro-
priation which would enable me to put the work
less lavishly."
what is the danger that threatens the work, !"
asked the reporter
.Floods, freshets and ice gorges was the reply.
"Ihere Is constant danger from high water and
everything possible ought TO be done at once TO
prevent damage from IL. The work Will cost Just
so much money under any circumstances and it
would seem to be poor policy to dole out the funds
by dr0iets and run the risk OF the destruction of
ali that has been accomplished. IL wont cost the
government any more to be generous now and
such generosity may save hundreds OF thousands
DANGER FROM RICH WATER.
freshet is liable to occur at any time, and what
would be the reSult2 Just look here he contin-
ued, pointing to a map OF the river front; "the
water would sweep across the fats between the
sewer canal and Long bridge and carry large quan-
titles or the material which has been deposited
There down into the Washington channel, The
hng OF section 3 the portion spoken of. would all
nave 10 be done over again, and w Washington chan-
mel would have to be redredged. The Washington
harbor, which has been quite extensively dredged.
would would oe seriously damaged and perhaps de
Stroyed. While the fill on section is pretty high
now, 1t could not stand water sweeping over il.
The material when it is deposited is mixed with
water, and ii takes long time forit to thoroughly
dry out. SO that water pouring over il would be
certain TO diSlOlge large quantities and sweep ft
along until It would find handy place in which
it would be deposited The Washington channel
through the Long bridge, which is To be closed is
still open, and the
WASHINGTON HARBoR
would get IL all by reason OF its being wide at the
upper and middle portions ard harrow at the
lower and mo- A al vytor a
to stop its further progress"
SHOW would you eXpend most OF the needed
money!" asked THE STAR man.
II VIII put nearly all OF IL, IL get It. right on
section 9 and in the Virginia Channel You can
easily see why. Section = is the part OF the flats
lying between the sewer canal and the Long
bridge In 1t Is to be the tidal reservoir which TO
supply the Washington channel with fresh water
when closed, and this section. when conducted is
to turn the current into the Virginia channel II
must be made sufficiently high and sufficiently
firm to do this. The bend In the Virginia channel
Is right along here, and the water, unless pre-
vented, would force its way over and through the
flats into the washington channel In case OF A
freShet. There is an idea that the work can
progress only so fast because OF its nature, one
ton that only one or two things can be done at a
time. That's all wrong. The limited approprfa-
lions heretofore have neceSsftated limited num-
Der OF contracts 1t was necessary TO make but
few contracts, because they had 10 be large In
order to offer any Inducements for contractors to
enter upon the work.
NUMBER OF CONTRACTS AT ONCE.
II had the $500 1000 needed could put it all
prontably out In a number Of contracts imme-
diateiy, so that as soon as the weather permits
the entire work could be prosecuted with vigor,
and by next summer there would be perceptible
change In the appearance OF things. The Virginia
channel above Long bridge must be dredged in
order TO afford sufficient croSS-section for the
proper discharge OF the water which now partly
nndS It's way through the Washington channel
Most OF the material dredged would be deposited
on section Z, but some of It could be conveyed on
to section 5, just below the Long bridge. The
TIDAL reservoir, which Is already outlined by en-
bankmentS, must be dredged thoroughly and the
material placed around il. All the reclaimed land
fronting On the Virginia channel must be protected
Win mp rap emDankment, as well as the edges OF
the tidal reservoir. The outlet gates leading from
the tidal reservoir into the Virginia channel must
De built, and then the inlet gates leading from the
Virginia channel into the tidal reservoir must be
erected Immediately afterwards
WHEN THE WORK CAN GO SLOWLY
When once section 2 is In a well advanced condi-
ton, when it is high enough and strong enough TO
keep OF the water coming down the main channel
voir for flushing the Washington channel then
the work can be continued leisurely without con-
slant fear that what has been done may be un-
done, the entire project retarded and valuable
time prove TO have been wasted.
DANGER ALL THE TINE
The dangerous time is not confined to winter or
spring, it is all the time and any time The big.
geSt freShet on record, that OF 1877, occurred in
the fall A glance at the map will show that
there claims to the title OF any part OF sec
uon =, and no valid objection to the proposed ex-
penditure OF money could be raised on that score
The claims are all on section 1. above the sewer
canal Money could be spent to advantage on
section l. but until the title claims are settled IL
can be allowed to remain asst Is. Section J. below
Long bridge, requires dredging aud filling, and
some OF the money could be spent there, but sec
ton 2 is the one that demands immediate atten-
ton. The Virginia channel must be dredged to a
Sufhc1ent depth 10 carry OF the additional water
that passes now Through the Washington chan
mel II section is put In good shape the waters
would be pushed OF on to the Virginia shore and
the Hats improvement and the Washington har-
Dor protected"
VALUE OF THE RECLAIMED LANDS.
CIVIL the reclaimed land be worth the cost of ne
claiming it," asked The STAR man.
= 'Every bit OF IL, and more too," was the reply
The government isn't spending money without
the certainty Of a full return. The reclaimed land
viii form a beautiful park OF nearly three hundred
acres, which viii form continuation OF the mall
II the government had been unwilling to UNDER
take the project there would have been no Diff
Guilty in finding contractors willing TO assume all
expenses il allowed to become owners OF the land
reclaimed. In fact at the beginning OF the work
received an ofer, Informally, TO that effect. 1t
would have made very nice little speculation for
the contractors Another reason for the necessity
OF pushing the Work just now Is from a sanitary
point OF view. The quicker we get the flats nlied
up to the required height the quicker Will there be
an end to nOXiouS vap0rS arising from the semi
liquid material which is deposited on them. The
sewer canal is now In pretty good shape, and is
securely banked In, preventing the sewage or the
city from spreading over the bats. The river front
cannot be considered TO be in good sanitary con-
dition, however, until the work is further ad-
vanced. The Secretary OF War realized the neces-